Wire-tightener.



' Patented lune [2, I900.

No. 65l,7ll.

J. P. HADDIX. WIRE TIGHTENER.

(Application filed Feb. 26, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE;

JAMES PERRY HADDIX, MERNA, NEBRASKA.

WIRE-TIG HTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,711, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed February 26, 1900. Serial No. 6,527. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES PERRY HADDIX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Merna, in the county of Custer and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved "Wire-Tightener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Theinvention relates to devices for tightening fence-wires; and its object is to provide a new and improved wire-tightener which is simple and durable in construction, easily manipulated, and more especially designed for use on wire-fences which are already built and on which the wires have become slack, the device permitting of quickly tightening such wires, of holding them temporarily in a tightened position on the post, and of securely fastening the tightened wires in'place on the post.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter 'and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which the figure is a perspective view of the improvement as applied.

The improved wire-tightener is mounted on a frame A, having feet A, adapted to abut against the side of a fence-post B and stand at a right angle to the wire to be tightened,

and on said frame A is fulcrumed an angular lever 0, formed with fork members 0 G on which are independently pivoted transversely-extending wire-holding devices D D in the form of bars having angular notches D at the top and bottom for engagement with the wire E to be tightened. The fork members O C are placed a sufficient distance apart to carry the wire-holding devices D D on opposite sides of the fence-post B, as is plainly illustrated in the drawing, so that the said wire-holding devices engage with their notches the fence-wire E at points spaced a distance apart lengthwise of the wire and on opposite sides of the'fence-post, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawing. On the lever O is fulcrumed a pawl F, adapted to engage a notched segment G, formed or secured on the frame A, and the said pawl F is pivotally connected by a link H with a spring-pressed hand-lever I, fulcrumed near the free end of the lever C, so

that said hand-lever can be readily manipu lated by the operator when the latter desires to throw the pawl F out of engagement with the notched segment G to permitof swinging the lever C in an upward direction; When the hand-lever I is released, then its spring moves the hand-lever into a lowermost position to engage the pawl F with the notched segment, and when the lever O is swung downward said pawl F freely glides over the teeth of the notched segment and snaps into one of the notches as soon as the lever O is brought to rest. The pivots J for the holding devices D D are engaged at their heads by flat springs K, secured to the bars of the holding devices to hold said bars against any outward swinging on their pivots J that is, hold the said bars in the position they are in at the time. The said bars are also provided with stops L, adapted to abut against the edges of the members 0 C to limit the up- Ward and downward swinging motion of the bars, it being understood that the latter require but a slight up-an d-down swinging motion when the device is in use. p

In order to tighten the wire E, the frame A is placed on the fence-post B, as described, and the lever O is swung into an uppermost position, so that the wire-holding devices D D engage with their innermost notches the wire E at opposite sides of the fence post. 'The operator now swings the lever C downward, so as to cause a forward movement of the wire-holding devices D D, whereby the wire is bent partly around the fence-post B, whereby any slack in the wire is taken up, as the pull on the wire is in both directions, the portion of the wire between the holding de vices resting against the rear half of the fencepost. When the slack in the wire has been taken up and the portion of the wire between the holding devices has been partly drawn around the fence-post, then the operator stops the downward swinging of the lever O and the latter is now automatically locked in place by the pawl F of the lever engaging a notch in the segment G. Vhile the lever O, with the holding devices D D, is in this locked position, the operator drives a staple E" into the post around that part of the wire engaging the post, and then a small piece of wire E is passed around the front of the post and twisted around or otherwise secured to the wire at E on opposite sides of the post'to hold fastened in position on the post without requiring much physical exertion on "the part' I of the operator.

The device mayalso-be used for detaching wires from fence-posts by applying the frame A on that side ofthe post on which the wire passes and then manipulating the device in the same manner as above described, so that the wire is pulled outward away from the post to pull the staple out of the post with theoutwardly-moving wire.

The angular notches D in the bars of the holding devices D D are both on top and bottom, as previously stated, to permit of using the device upside down in case it is desired to tighten wires at or near the ground.

7 Having thus fnllydescribed myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLet-ters Patent 1. A wire-tightener, comprising a frame havinga notched segment and feet for resting against a fence-post, an angular lever fulcrumed on the frame and having forkcdmembers, notched bars pivoted to the forked members'ofthe lever, and adapted to extend on opposite sides of a fence-post, and a pawl carried by the lever and engaging the notched segment, substantially as described.

2. A Wire-tightener, comprising a frame having a notched segment and feet for resting against afence-post, an angular lever fulcrumed on the frame and having forked members at its inner end, notched bars pivoted to the forked members of the lever and adapted From the foregoing it is evident that to extend on opposite sides ofafence-post, a pawl pivoted to the lever and engaging the notched segment, a spring-pressed hand-lever carried by the first-named lever, and a link connecting the handelever with the pawl, substantially as described. 7 a.

:- 3. A wi-retightener, comprising a frame havinga segment, and feet for resting against one side of a fence-post,'a leverfulcrumed on said frame,and havin g fork members,notched bars fulcrumed on said fork members and extending transversely on opposite sides of the fence-post, to engage with their notches the wire to be'tightened, at spaced points lengthwise of the Wire, springs engaging the pivots of the bars for holding them in position, and

means for locking the lever in position, substantially as described.

4. In a wire-tightener, the combination with a frameadapted to restagainst a fencepost, of an angular leverhaving forked members at its inner end, notched bars pivoted to the forked members of the lever, and springs secured to the bars and engaging the pivots of said bars, substantially as described.

5. In a wire tightener, the combination with a frame adapted to rest against a fencepost, of an angular lever having forked members at its inner end, notched barspivoted to the forked members of the lever and provided with stops adapted to abut against the for ward edges of the members of thelever to limit the movement of said bars, and springs secured to the bars and engaging the pivots of said bars, substantially as described.

In .testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JAMES PERRY I-IADDIX.

Witnesses: V

H. W. LEO,

FRANK KELLY. 

